This is a tale of two "C"s:  Collaboration and Competition.

 

In the CM world, collaboration enjoys most favored concept status: our conversations are packed with references to partnership, alliance, cooperation and sharing.

 

Competition, on the other hand, often has negative connotations.   We're all working for good causes, the thinking goes, so can't we all just get along?

 

It's time that we stopped treating competition like a nasty four-letter word and recognized that it can be a positive force.

 

Marketplace competition for sales or talent often drives companies to invest in corporate social initiatives.

 

Competition for resources often drives nonprofits to invest in the branding and capabilities necessary to create sustainable corporate alliances.

 

That said, there's a fine line between healthy and unhealthy competition.   Where that line falls is in the eye of the beholder.  For example:

 

Is Susan G. Komen for the Cure being a responsible steward of donor funds or overly competitive when it takes legal action to stop nonprofits from running fundraising events with Komen's signature phrase "for the cure" in the title?   (Click here for Cone's take on the issue.)

 

Are corporations being wisely cautious about revealing proprietary data or hypercompetitive when they construct donation with purchase promotions that don't reveal sales figures?

 

Over the next few months, I'll be focused on recruiting CM experts willing to talk candidly at our 2011 conference about the lessons learned from their experiences.   (FYI, CMF9 will take place on June 1 & 2 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago).  

 

If you've got ideas and results to share, now is the time to be in touch!